Hawaii is more tropical
paradise with exotic plants and beautiful beaches.
Florida to me seems more
like that Caribbean tropical feel rather than a paradise...
To me.. its like this:
Florida = Latino, tropical, hot
Hawaii = Exotic, more islander/asian feel, hot, a real paradise.. its like one
big whole zen garden lol
Hawaii
is cleaner.. more tropical paradise with exotic plants and BEAUTIFUL
BEACHES!!! Florida to me seems more like that Caribbean tropical feel
rather than a paradise...
TO ME.. its like this
Florida = Latino, tropical, hot
Hawaii = Exotic, more islander/asian feel, hot, a real paradise.. its like one big whole zen garden lol
Hawaii
is cleaner.. more tropical paradise with exotic plants and BEAUTIFUL
BEACHES!!! Florida to me seems more like that Caribbean tropical feel
rather than a paradise...
TO ME.. its like this
Florida = Latino, tropical, hot
Hawaii = Exotic, more islander/asian feel, hot, a real paradise.. its like one big whole zen garden lol
Key West History and Culture: Getting to Know the Local Ways
Old Conch Republic Headquarters in Bahama Village, Key West
KEY WEST HISTORY AND CULTURE: GETTING TO KNOW THE LOCAL WAYS Key West History and Culture: Key West’s many
distinct customs and cultures are a reflection of the island’s rich mix
of ethnicities, intertwining social classes, and accompanying diverse
‘life-styles.’ Since the early 1800’s, through an ongoing process of
nurturing and preserving and blending together on a speck of an island
situated 150 miles out to sea and just 90 miles from Cuba, Key West
culture and customs have peculiarly evolved.
In the 19th Century, most of the residents settling on the island
were former British loyalist immigrants moving from the nearby Bahamas,
Cubans who were arriving in increasing numbers after 1830, and African
Americans who were fleeing southern states looking from freedom from
Slavery. Some of these newcomers joined the sponging and turtle
industries and most early immigrants joined the island society by
following Cuban cigar manufacturing and businesses.
A plethora of Cigar manufacturing plants were founded and operated by
determined businessmen from the mainland of Florida who lobbied for the
economic development of the tropical island. The strategic geographic
position of Key West in the Florida Straits created a natural and
important Caribbean seaport that became both a world shipping location
and a Navy stronghold. Lucrative trades in Cuban cigar making, fishing,
and sponging, salvaging, and rum running were developed.
Today fishing is still an important local industry, treasure hunters
continue to scour the sea bottom for ancient galleons lost at sea, and
you can still find tiny open-air ‘mom and pop’ cigar stores owned and
operated by Cuban cigar rollers. Through these trades that originated in
the 1800’s, the island manifested into one of the richest cities in the
U.S. – both financially and culturally, and during this time a large
collection of some of the most charming wooden Victorian architecture in
the world was built and it still stands today as part of a preserved
indigenous landmark in the authentic historic district of Key West.
By the mid 20th Century, Key West was attracting some of the more
famous intelligent and creative minds of the time, such as Henry
Flagler, Harry S. Truman, Ernest Hemmingway, and Tennessee Williams,
setting a precedent for an ongoing influx of remarkable individuals and
intriguing characters seeking a more independent and artistic
life-style. With more bars and more churches per capita than anywhere
else in North America, the 1970’s and 80’s attracted a whole new wave of
creative free-thinkers with the arrival of literary groups, actors,
musicians, treasure hunters, artists, designers, photographers and film
makers, entrepreneurs, trades people, sailors, philanthropists,
self-proclaimed ‘pirates’ and members of the hippie ‘counter-culture’,
openly gay and lesbian people from every walk of life, and expatriates –
most of whom flawlessly blended into the tiny existing community of
local Conch’s, Cubans, and African Americans. From thence forward the
tropical island of Key West has morphed into an intriguing microcosm and
one of the most interesting places to live and unique tourist
destinations in the U.S.A.
One Human Family: A continual welcoming and
accepting attitude toward all kinds of people to this tiny island has
created a unique cultural convergence of different ethnic groups,
languages, traditions, religions, foods, and free-thinkers and has
resulted in a remarkably distinct cultural character that the community
refers to as the “ONE HUMAN FAMILY” philosophy. In the year 2000, Key
West artist resident J.T. Thompson coined this phrase to formally
capture the essence of this all-accepting and all-inclusive
‘state-of-mind’ and it was formally adopted by the City of Key West
Commission as the ‘official philosophy’ of Key West.
While the unique neighborhoods of Key West reflect and retain their
distinctive and delightful flavors by celebrating original Bahamian
Conch, Cuban and African-American cultural heritage through unique
customs, celebrations, and architecture, the citizens of the island
honor and practice a remarkably accepting life-style by readily
integrating “newcomers” and then striving to live harmoniously and work
side-by-side with one another, setting aside social differences,
regardless of ethnicity, social class, or sexual orientation.
Irregardless of the inevitable flare-ups of small-town political
foibles, there is a constant undertone in the community that reflects an
undying feeling of, “we’re all in this together”.
One ongoing way this special sense of group connectedness is
ritualized on this speck of an island, is through the generosity of its
citizens to reach out to one another and strive to continually support
each other and positively improve the community through a constant
myriad of institutionalized annual ‘parties-turned-fund raisers’, (e.g.
Fantasy Fest, Parrothead Meeting of the Minds), grants, charity work and
endowments that meet multiple needs of the tiny yet diverse island
community. And one unique example of the manifestation of community
cohesiveness you find on the island is the efficient and heart-felt
manner in which its diverse citizens immediately unify the in the
aftermath crisis of a hurricane to care for one another at every level –
from providing emergency food, shelter, transportation, medical
service, and immediate financial assistance. It has been said by some
locals that ‘by the time FEMA arrives, most of the human emergency work
has already been done by the local people’.
While the practices of small island local politics, claims to
property boundaries, debates about land development, and arguments over
the presence of feral chickens in the streets can sometimes seem worthy
of a comic or tragic theatre performance, there is nonetheless an
underlying and uncommon sense of compassion and commitment that people
seem to have for one another, their critters, and ‘their island’ that is
pervasive in the island culture. Perhaps this naturally stems from the
geographic isolation the island has from the mainland of Florida. Even
though Key West is connected with the continental U.S. by a ribbon of
narrow bridges that stream down over 100 miles of narrow islands –
“there is only one road in and one road out” and once you get to Key
West you’ve landed and become part of a tiny diverse and yet harmonious
social microcosm that is closer to Havana, Cuba than Miami, Florida!
Conch Republic Independence: In April, 1982 Key West
became a self-proclaimed micro-nation, a tongue-in-cheek “home-made
country”, an inspiring ‘tale of independence.’ The story of how the
Conch Republic got started has been eloquently told by those who were
directly involved in its creation, but is worth briefly repeating here.
In protest of a United States Border Patrol set at the top of the
Florida Keys on U.S. Highway 1 to search for illegal drugs and
immigrants, a small group of demonstrative and creative fun-lovers
ceremoniously protested.
The road block was becoming a major source of annoyance and began
affecting tourism. Visitors driving down to Key West from the mainland
were feeling harassed and began expressing to Key West City officials
that it was actually discouraging them from driving to Key West. For
many, the road block seemed more like a ‘border station between foreign
countries’. Then Key West Mayor, Dennis Wardlow, complained to the U.S.
Government and attempted to get a court ordered injunction to stop the
road block. But when the court refused the request for an injunction,
the city officials decided to organize and stage a well publicized
protest.
In a well-staged mock secession from the Union, local officials
protested as the Key West mayor, “declared war” against the U.S. by
symbolically breaking a loaf of stale Cuban bread of a man dressed in a
costume Navy uniform. Protestors ‘declared their independence’ and
pronounced the Florida Keys their own micro-nation, “The Conch
Republic.” Mayor Wardlow then ceremoniously surrendered and asked for
one billion dollars in “foreign aid.”
Today the spirit of the Conch Republic is alive and well in Key West
and is another ongoing way the special sense of group connectedness is
ritualized on this tiny island. Ceremony has been kept alive with an
annual Conch Republic Celebration facilitated every April by local
character ‘Sir Peter Anderson,’ self proclaimed Secretary General of the
Conch Republic. As this micro nation has evolved, so has its stated
‘official position.’ The Conch Republic has as its stated ‘Foreign
Policy,’ “The Mitigation of World Tension through the Exercise of
Humor”. As the world’s first “Fifth World” country, we exist as a “State
of Mind”, and aspire only to bring more Warmth, Humor and Respect to a
planet we find in sore need of all three.”
One question most asked of me is "How, or did they, really farm the Keys?" Farming was one of the methods, like fishing, the wrecker used
to
tide himself over between salvaging shipwrecks. As the wrecking
industry
began to close in the latter 1800s, the farming industry expanded.
We can easily assume that early families raised sufficient plant foods
to support their own needs and probably enough to trade with neighbors
(if there were any) for other necessities of life. One looking for old
housing sites can readily spot them by the telltale signs of date
palms,
sapodillas, guavas, mangoes and other fruit trees. Usually the remains
of a water cistern are nearby. Every homesteader grew their own fruit
from
trees that the early Bahamian settlers knew would thrive in the
limestone
soil of the Keys. Raising animals for meat was not as critical in the
Keys
because of the quantity of marine life, but it was still done on a
limited
basis. The farming I refer to here is an industry and not just for
family
sustenance. One reason farming was more successful in the Upper Keys
than
the Lower Keys was that the Upper Keys generally received about 20
inches
more annual rainfall.
As an industry, I propose that Dr. Perrine made the first real attempt
at farming on Indian Key and surrounding Keys beginning in the late
1830s.
His goal was to make south Florida a tropical agricultural center. He
incorporated
The Tropical Plant Company in 1838. Indians killed Dr. Perrine in
August
of 1840 and burned the island.
Francis Gerdes in his 1848 written account An Interesting Journal
On
Florida Reefs gives a hint that there was farming on Key Largo by
using
the word 'plantation.' On January 29 he writes, "After leaving Indian
Key,
no more settlements appear on the islands up to Cape Florida. A
plantation
on Kay Largo opposite Rodriguez was abandoned, the house is empty."
Whether
it was abandoned because of the previous Indian War, unsuccessful, or
some
other reason is not known.
There is some evidence that during the Civil War (1861-65) Key West was
overcrowded with refugees and others. It is not clear whether it was
the
military or businessmen, but people were sent to the Cape Sable area to
grow food for Key West. I submit that they could have gone to other
places
also.
It is generally accepted and partially substantiated that Captain Ben
Baker
of the wrecking ship Rapid from Key West was the first large
producer
of pineapples in the Upper Keys. The 1850 census shows him living in
Key
West as a 32-year-old mariner. By the mid-1860s, Captain Baker had
pineapple
plantations on Plantation Key and Key Largo. While overseeing his
plantations,
he watched for possible shipwrecks occurring on Molasses and Carysfort
reefs. As part of his wrecking business, Captain Baker also had cargo
ships primarily used to transport his salvage goods. This
capability was immediately available to load and transport his,
possible others also, when harvested.
In 1870, a Benjamin Baker opened a post office in the Rock Harbor area,
i.e., about Mile Marker 97. The island of Key Largo was not surveyed
until
1872 so the exact location is not on his post office application. Dr.
J.
B. Holder writing for the Harper's Magazine in 1871 wrote "Mr.
Baker,
the owner, who resides in Key West, is reported to have realized seven
thousand dollars this summer from his crop of pineapples...." The 1880
census shows Baker living somewhere north of Planter. In 1882, a
Benjamin
Baker homesteaded 160 acres now identified as the Rock Harbor area as
it
has been surveyed. Miss Lamar Louise Curry, whose father owned one mile
from ocean to bay, told me that as a child she saw the grave site of
Captain
Baker in that general area. I submit that there is sufficient
documentation
that Baker existed, farmed pineapples and lived in the Rock Harbor
area.
The Key West column of the December 27, 1884 Fort Myers Press
stated,
"Many of the leading merchants own tracts of land on the Keys which are
entirely devoted to the culture of pineapples, tomatoes, Irish
potatoes,
sweet potatoes, cabbage, cassava, tapias, beets, carrots, turnips, and
various tropical fruits which flourish in abundance. The average
shipments
of pineapples alone will reach more than $200,000 per annum." On June
20,
1885 it again stated that "The best melons for this season come from
Key
Largo."
We get a clue of how farming was done from Andrew P. Canova, who wrote
in his Life and Adventures in South Florida in 1885: "On
different
portions of Upper Matecumbe, in May, 1880, were little patches of deep
soil, called by the inhabitants 'Red Holes.' These curious spots are
from
15 to 30 feet in diameter and take their name from the peculiar,
reddish
color of the soil contained in them. Scarcely any rocks are found in
these
spots, and the fruit growers select them on that account as a place to
plant bananas and tropical fruit trees. . . . Messrs. Pinder and
Saunders
were raising pineapples and made immense shipments in 1881 and 1882.
The
manner of cultivation was peculiar. No hoe could be used because of the
shallowness of the soil. The plants were set 18 inches apart, and left
mostly to themselves. One weeding was considered sufficient. . . . On
Plantation
Key a Mr. Low [Lowe] had a pineapple and coconut grove. The pineapple
grove
was 30 acres in size and the crop that year [1880] was doing so well
that
he expected to cut at least 96,000 pineapples. . . ."
Farming was a completely new industry for the Keys in the 1800s.
Wrecking,
sponging, fishing, turtling, lumbering were expected, but not farming!
One thing that held farming back was lack of adequate transportation of
perishable goods to a distant market. The local market was Key West,
but
only for relatively small quantities. Large quantities had to be taken
to Key West and trans-shipped to northern seaports. Fortunately, the
steamship
was becoming available and lighthouses were operable, but it was still
a four, or six-day trip after loading and departing from Key West. It
was
possible to ship directly by using locally owned sailboats or by
leasing
a ship for this purpose. One successful trip was reportedly made when
wrecker
Bradish "Hog" Johnson loaded his schooner Irene from Key Largo
and
Elliott Key and delivered pineapples to New Jersey five-and-a-half days
later. The Plantation Key built 58 foot Island Home was
typically
the means shipping between Miami and Key West. A
Baltimore, Maryland company opened a pineapple cannery in Key West in
the
1880s. It would operate about four months a year - April, May, June and
July - canning the fruit. The cannery was located near the present day
Pier House. For some reason it ceased operation in the the 1890s. In
the
1930 depression Norberg Thompson opened another pineapple cannery using
Cuban pineapples on Eaton Street. It ceased operation shortly after the
1935 Hurricane destroyed the railroad.
Small canneries
have been reported on the mainland in the Coconut Grove area. When
interviewed
in 1964, Bertram Pinder told of a cannery being built by his
grandfather
(Adolphus Pinder) around 1891 to can tomatoes on Upper Matecumbe Key.
It
operated for about two year before closing to retrofit for canning
pineapples.
It never reopened and about 10,000 cans were left unused. The building
was badly damaged by the 1906 Hurricane and totally washed away by the
1935 Hurricane.
Once the Flagler railroad was in operation, local shipments could be
made
to Jacksonville in a couple of days; however, expensive unloading,
repacking
and reloading were necessary. Flagler also gave more favorable tariffs
to foreign imports than local cargo.
The pineapple is of the family Bromelia and has seeds, but takes up to
ten years to produce from the seed. It can be reproduced faster from
"suckers,"
"slips" and/or the "crown." Depending on which source is used, it takes
from twelve to twenty-four months to mature and ripen. Each plant
produces
only one fruit. The suckers from the base will continue to produce
fruit
for several years, but of an inferior quality. The usual method is to
plant
six-to-ten-thousand slips per acre in the rainy season. About
two-thirds
will be productive.
The following data came from an original document submitted to
Flagler's
Engineer, William J. Krome, by an associate engineer, Frank H. Hakell,
on December 22, 1904: "... Upper Matecumbe Key - Agricultural
conditions:
The Key is very fertile, and is farmed quite extensively. The following
is an average list of produce shipped each year.
John H. Russell Pine
Apples
1375 crates Tomatoes
1400 " Limes
60 " Sugar
Apples
200 boxes Bananas
200 bunches
Cephas
Pinder Oranges
4000 crates Grapefruit
1000 " Avocado Pears 500 " Sugar Apples 1000 " Tomatoes
1500 " ...."
After Flagler completed the railroad to Key West and began bringing in
pineapples from Havana, a large repacking shed had to be built in Key
West.
The Cubans packed the railroad cars much too densely to survive the
additional
shipment time to the more distant, northern markets. When packed
tightly
they were bruised and overheated during the longer voyage. For example,
the Key West Citizen reported on May 27, 1929, "The largest
shipment
of the season arrived here Saturday night. . . . There were 60 carloads
coming in. After transfer to other cars was made here yesterday, the
outgoing
shipment totaled 109 cars." In 1934 one train alone transported 134
freight
cars of Cuban repacked pineapples to Miami.
My copy of an April 1905 Florida East Coast Railway construction survey
of Plantation Key shows 3 tomato fields, 4 pineapple fields, 2
alligator
pear [avocado] groves, 3 coconut groves, 1 lime grove, 2 sugar apple
groves,
one orange grove and 3 abandoned fields. The following year there was a
severe hurricane and pineapple blight, both of which were repeated in
1909.
A few years later, Flagler brought in the cheaper Cuban pineapples and
this ushered in the key lime to replace the Keys’ pineapple. Upper Keys
pineapple farming was doomed. The previous large train shipments were
Cuban
pineapples.
Citrus originated in Asia where the Crusaders took them to Europe.
Limes
were popular for early sailors to prevent scurvy on their long voyages.
Exactly how limes began on the Keys is not known. Some say the early
Spanish
sailors brought them, some credit Dr. Perrine, but we really do not
know.
The key lime is the Mexican lime, the specie Citrus aurantifolia
and was the one grown in the Keys. The aforementioned set of 1905
surveys
also shows a lime grove in Rock Harbor on the William Dunham Albury
homestead.
The Florida Times-Union newspaper of November 28, 1917 stated
in
its column "Islamorada Notes" that "There are thirty families living on
the island: tomatoes, onions and limes are the principal crops. There
are
183 acres of lime groves and about 100 acres of tomatoes and onions
planted
this season. [For an idea the original 1870s survey indicated Upper
Matecumbe
Key to be 848.61 acres in size.] The farmers will commence shipping
tomatoes
about December and will continue shipping until April. The best
tomatoes
grown are grown in the Florida Keys."
Newspapers reported that the Upper Keys [including Elliott Key] were
shipping
out 60,000 crates of limes a year, but this figure dwindled to 10,000
by
1931. One of the larger growers was W. N. Hull who owned seven groves
and
a packing house near the F.E.C. Key Largo depot at mile marker (MM)
105.5.
The groves were managed locally by C.C. Chapman, who operated a large
packing
house near the north end of the Key Largo depot railroad siding (MM
105.5).
However, just as the cheaper Havana pineapple took the market from the
superior quality Key pineapple, the introduction of the seedless
Persian
lime in southern Dade County took its toll on the Key lime. The
Persian,
plus other Mexican limes, were shipped in and repacked in Florida
crates,
ending key lime farming as an industry for the Upper Keys.
With the opening of the first Overseas Highway in 1928, land began to
be
more valuable for development than for farming. For example, on Key
Largo,
beginning with the North Carolina Fishing Camp Subdivision, from 1924
to
1930 twenty-six new subdivisions were platted. Most of these were by
new
landowners in contrast to the Key Largo pioneers. Another reason for
the
decrease of farming was the decrease in surface fresh water.
Development
on the mainland beginning in the early 1900s required many new canals
to
drain the land as well as to prevent flooding. The cutting on the deep
canals dropped the fresh water table five to seven feet in the Keys.
Diversion
to the easier way of life of charter fishing perhaps was also an
influence.
The 1935 hurricane gave the coup de grace, and 1935 can be considered
as
the beginning of the end of the Keys’ farming industry. This of course
was not the end of small holdings of one to five acres, but even these
began to give way to development. The farms got smaller, but the work
remained
just as hard. In my opinion, farming died in the Upper Keys when Hector
Emanuel Clark of Newport "just got too old to do it." Hector came from
Grand Turk Island to Miami in 1924 and settled on Key Largo in 1933. He
hacked out a few acres in Newport and grew just about everything, but
specialized
in Keys tomatoes.
Keys farming and the tomato are gone as soon might be the key lime -
citrus canker is taking its toll. They were
grown in natural Keys soils, such as the 'red Holes' which is rare
today.
Most of us live on landfill dredged from canals. While this is probably
not the true meaning of historic preservation, I would like to suggest
that every Keys family plant at least one key lime tree. It likes sun
and
is fairly salt tolerant. The lignumvitae tree is another suggestion
should
one not want a fruit tree, but it is a slow grower.
All is not lost
however. Hydroponic farms are appearing; albeit, in small scale. With
that said, since the entire permanent population of the Keys is about
80,000, small will work. Case in point, Richard Meister utilizes a
one-quarter acre to provide a variety of 'greens' to the Upper Keys
businesses. At the present, December 2008, a variety of lettuces the
crop. The absence of winter freezes and many days of sunny weather is a
plus for the Plantation Key hydroponic farm.
Key West is part of Southern Coastlands geographical area.
Of the several components that make up a physical environment,
climate has the greatest impact on the human geography of the Southern
Coastlands. A humid subtropical climate, a long growing season, mild
winter temperatures, and warm, humid summers all contribute to patterns
of human activity associated with the region.Citrus production has been a particularly important contributor to
Florida's economy since it was first introduced to the region by
Spaniards during the 16th century, although the areas of primary
production have gradually shifted southward along the peninsula's
interior.
Recreation and retirement are also major industries for the Southern
Coastlands. Even by the early 1950s, the importance of amenity factors
in stimulating the regional growth of Florida and the Gulf Coast was
clear; since then their effects have increased.The most dramatic tourist magnet in the region, however, has been
Florida. With long beaches facing both the Atlantic Ocean and the Gulf
of Mexico, this state has drawn winter vacationers for decades.
The Keys are in the subtropics between 24 and 25 degrees north
latitude. The climate and environment are closer to that of the
Caribbean than the rest of Florida, though unlike the Caribbean's
volcanic islands, the Keys were built by plants and animals.
The Upper Keys islands are remnants of large coral reefs, which
became fossilized and exposed as sea level declined. The Lower Keys are
composed of sandy-type accumulations of limestone grains produced by
plants and marine organisms.
The natural habitats of the Keys are upland forests, inland wetlands
and shoreline zones. Soil ranges from sand to marl to rich, decomposed
leaf litter. In some places, "caprock" (the eroded surface of coral
formations) covers the ground. Rain falling through leaf debris becomes acidic and dissolves holes in the limestone, where soil accumulates and trees root.
Notable locations in Key West: DeWitt E Roberts Softball Diamond (A), George Mira Football Field (B), Truval Village Market Place (C), Sunset Plaza (D), Richard A Heyman Wastewater Treatment Plant (E), Key West Country Club (F), Mallory Dock (G), Key Plaza (H), Monroe County Public Library (I), Florida Keys Community College Library (J), Key West Fire Department Central Station (K), Key West Fire Department Station 2 (L), Key West Fire Department Station 3 (M), American Medical Response Key West Rescue (N), Key West International Airport Fire Department (O), Key West Police Department (P), Monroe County Sheriff's Office Property Section (Q), Monroe County Sheriff's Office Civil Division (R), Monroe County Sheriff's Office Headquarters (S), Ernest Hemingway House (T). Display/hide their locations on the map
Churches in Key West include: Church of Christ (A), Church of God (B), Saint Bedes Catholic Church (C), Fifth Street Baptist Church (D), Saint James Missionary Baptist Church (E), Big Coppitt First Baptist Church (F), Key West Baptist Temple (G), Greater Keys Baptist Church (H), Lower Keys Church of Christ (I). Display/hide their locations on the map
Tourist attractions: East
Martello Museum (3501 South Roosevelt Boulevard), Audubon House Gallery
(Museums; 205 Whitehead Street), Amsterdam - Curry Mansion & Inn
(Museums; 511 Caroline Street), Harry S Truman Little White House Museum
(Cultural Attractions- Events- & Facilities; 111 Front Street),
Forrester Nancy Reverend (Cultural Attractions- Events- &
Facilities; 1 Free School Lane), Mel Fisher Maritime Heritage Society
& Museum (Historical Places & Services; 200 Greene Street),
Heritage House Museum & Robert Frost (Cultural Attractions- Events-
& Facilities; 410 Caroline Street), Key West Lighthouse &
Keeper's Quarters Museum (Cultural Attractions- Events- &
Facilities; 938 Whitehead Street), Island City Flying Service Inc
(Historical Places & Services; 3471 South Roosevelt Boulevard).
Hotels: Coconut Bay
(97770 Overseas Highway), Body Tuneup (1435 Simonton Street), Banana Bay
Resort & Marina (2319 North Roosevelt Boulevard), Best Western
Hibiscus Motel (1313 Simonton Street), Atlantic Shores (510 South
Street), CAYO Hueso Resorts (513 United Street), Almond Tree Inn (512
Truman Avenue), AA Accommodation Center Inc (1722 North Roosevelt
Boulevard), Carlson JODY (415 William Street).
Notable locations in Key West: DeWitt E Roberts Softball Diamond (A), George Mira Football Field (B), Truval Village Market Place (C), Sunset Plaza (D), Richard A Heyman Wastewater Treatment Plant (E), Key West Country Club (F), Mallory Dock (G), Key Plaza (H), Monroe County Public Library (I), Florida Keys Community Co
Please Help Protect Florida's Sea Turtles & Habitats
Sea turtle nesting
season in Key West is March 1 through October 31 (Atlantic) and May 1
through October 31 (Gulf). During nesting season, be aware of sea turtles as you walk the beach and please respect their natural habitat.
Key West Warnings and Dangers
Hurricanes More erratic, more sporadic, more dramatic, and locally more
destructive are the region's hurricanes--large cyclonic storms generated
by intense solar heating over large bodies of warm water. Because these
storms are an accepted feature of the region, and weather satellites and
other forecasting tools are available, preparations to withstand the
greatest force of the wind and rain can be made early. And because the
heaviest damage is usually limited to a relatively narrow swath as the
storm moves onshore, many portions of the region have not been affected
for years. On the other hand, because hurricanes are so variable in
occurrence and strength, settlements have spread in spite of warnings
into coastal areas that are very much exposed to the dangers of a large
storm.
otable locations in Key West: DeWitt E Roberts Softball Diamond (A), George Mira Football Field (B), Truval Village Market Place (C), Sunset Plaza (D), Richard A Heyman Wastewater Treatment Plant (E), Key West Country Club (F), Mallory Dock (G), Key Plaza (H), Monroe County Public Library (I), Florida Keys Community College Library (J), Key West Fire Department Central Station (K), Key West Fire Department Station 2 (L), Key West Fire Department Station 3 (M), American Medical Response Key West Rescue (N), Key West International Airport Fire Department (O), Key West Police Department (P), Monroe County Sheriff's Office Property Section (Q), Monroe County Sheriff's Office Civil Division (R), Monroe County Sheriff's Office Headquarters (S), Ernest Hemingway House (T). Display/hide their locations on the map
Churches in Key West include: Church of Christ (A), Church of God (B), Saint Bedes Catholic Church (C), Fifth Street Baptist Church (D), Saint James Missionary Baptist Church (E), Big Coppitt First Baptist Church (F), Key West Baptist Temple (G), Greater Keys Baptist Church (H), Lower Keys Church of Christ (I). Display/hide their locations on the map
Tourist attractions: East
Martello Museum (3501 South Roosevelt Boulevard), Audubon House Gallery
(Museums; 205 Whitehead Street), Amsterdam - Curry Mansion & Inn
(Museums; 511 Caroline Street), Harry S Truman Little White House Museum
(Cultural Attractions- Events- & Facilities; 111 Front Street),
Forrester Nancy Reverend (Cultural Attractions- Events- &
Facilities; 1 Free School Lane), Mel Fisher Maritime Heritage Society
& Museum (Historical Places & Services; 200 Greene Street),
Heritage House Museum & Robert Frost (Cultural Attractions- Events-
& Facilities; 410 Caroline Street), Key West Lighthouse &
Keeper's Quarters Museum (Cultural Attractions- Events- &
Facilities; 938 Whitehead Street), Island City Flying Service Inc
(Historical Places & Services; 3471 South Roosevelt Boulevard).
Hotels: Coconut Bay
(97770 Overseas Highway), Body Tuneup (1435 Simonton Street), Banana Bay
Resort & Marina (2319 North Roosevelt Boulevard), Best Western
Hibiscus Motel (1313 Simonton Street), Atlantic Shores (510 South
Street), CAYO Hueso Resorts (513 United Street), Almond Tree Inn (512
Truman Avenue), AA Accommodation Center Inc (1722 North Roosevelt
Boulevard), Carlson JODY (415 William Street).
(br)=brush (ts)=Tropical Storm
(bd)=Back Door,meaning coming from over land from opposite coast.Not all names
are noted,also storms before 1950 were not named.Not every stat on every storm
description is given(since 1871).
Years
within 60
miles 1871ts,1876,1878tsbr,1878br,1886br,1891ts,1892ts,1894,1895tsbr,1897ts,1900ts,1906-2,1909, 1910,1916xtr,1919,1924br,1926br,1928ts,1929br,1933-2,1934ts,1935,1935br,1941ts 1944,1945ts,1946br,1947ts,1947,1948-2,1950,1952ts,1960,1964,1965,1966-2, 1987,1990ts,1994ts,1998,1999,2005-3br,2005,2008ts,(2012 ts not in stats) 51
times 140 yrs end of 2011
Names
from list
above Easy,Donna,Isabell,Betsy,Alma,Inez,Dennis,Alberto,Floyd,Marco,Gordon,Georges,Irene,Dennis,Katrina, Rita,Wilma,Fay,Isaac,
Tropical Storm to Hurricane ratio TS=17,33.33% H=34, 66.67%
Longest gap between storms 21 years 1966-1987
How often Key West gets
affected? brushed or hit every 2.75 years
Average years between direct hurricane hits.(hurricane force winds for at least a few hours) (24h)once every 5.83 years
Average MPH of hurricane hits. (based on advisories sustained winds, not gusts) 109mph
Statistically when Key West should be affected
next affected in 2012
Last affected
by 2012 Aug 26th, Tropical storm Isaac passes just south with 60 mph winds while moving WNW
This areas hurricane past 1876,
October 19 Eye passed over Key West 105mph from the south. Barometer
28.73. Calm from 6pm to 8:15pm. Maximum wind 88mph at 8:45pm.
1894 sept 25th,85mph from the south gusts to 105mph,press 29.10 2 ships capsized 1906 June 16th,80mph from the S.W passes just east 1906 Oct 18th,120mph from the SSW ,over 150 killed in the keys 1909
Oct 11th,115mph from the WSW bar 28.50
13 inches rain before eye hit & only 1 inch afterwards 400 buildings
destroyed,2 killed,400 buildings either collapsed or were swept away.
Damages to the railroad were not near as great as in 1906 1910 Oct 17th 125mph winds from the SSW a 15ft storm
surge reported & press 28.47, 7 ft of standing water in key west 1919
sept 10th,130mph from the ESE bar 927mb in dry tortugas killed 400+ in
marine
casualties winds over gale force for 38 hrs,10 ships lost . Highest
sustained winds were estimated at 110 mph., the steamer Valbanera was
found sunken between Key West and the Dry Tortugas with 488 aboard. All
perished. Hurricane Grotto shrine 1933 Sept 1st, 105mph to the south from the ESE 1933 Oct 5th, 115mph just SE from the SW 1935,Sept
3rd, 130mph just north from the S.E labor day hurricane lowest bar
pressure ever before gilbert in 1988,lower matecumbe key press 26.35,key
west pressure 29.41 middle keys 150mph to 200mph passes well north of
Key west as a small system but hurricane force wind field did reach Key
west.
1944 oct 18th just west press 28.02 ,120mph from the SSW very slow moving,key west press 29.14 60mph 1947 oct 11th ,80mph from the S.W reported gusts to 150mph just west at dry tortugas .
1948 sept 21st,120mph from the S.W bar 28.45 , a 6 ft storm surge at
low tide,several centers reported on hurricane 3 killed.Winds recorded
at 122 mph at Boca Chica airport. Gusts were said to have reached 160
mph.
1948 oct 5th,125mph from the S.W , moving fast,ket west pressure 29.17 1950 Sept 3rd,85mph Hurricane Easy passes just west from the south 1960 Sept 10th,140mph just north from the S.E Hurricane Donna 1964 Oct 14th Hurricane Isabell passes approx 30 miles north of here with 125mph winds from the SW 1965,Sept 8th,120mph Hurricane Betsy Key West got gusts to 81mph even
though Betsy was well to the north by 40 miles from the east. 1966 June 8th,125mph Hurricane Alma passes just west from the south. 1966 hurricane Inez oct 4th,85mph from the East gusts to
100mph while moving into the gulf,Key west in the eye for approx 3 hrs. 1980 Tropical storm Jeanne passes over 200 miles to the WSW but causes huge flooding problems for Key west.news audio 1987 hurricane floyd oct 12th, 80mph from the WSW bar 29.32 gust of 75 to 94mph minor damage. 1998 Sept 25th hurricane
Georges hits direct with 105mph winds from the ESE houseboat row destroyed key west moderate
damage heavier further av model error
1999 oct 15th hurricane Irene hits with 75mph from the SSW winds causing
overall minor damage with some flooding while moving slowly NNE press
29.14 Newspaper article
2005,Oct 24th, Hurricane Wilma passes approx 65 miles north of keywest
with 120mph winds while moving NE as a very large hurricane .Intense
winds remained approx 15 miles north of lower keys but a surge ranging
from 50 to 8 ft inundated many homes in the lower keys. Official final
report from NHC 72mph sustained with gusts to 82mph.| Wilma satellite picture
Text Sources:The Major Hurricanes to affect the Bahamas Wayne Neely.....Hurricane Watch Dr. Bob Sheets & Jack Williams.....Inside the Hurricane Pete Davies.....The Ship & the Storm Jim Carrier.....Lunatic Wind William Price Fox...Sudden Sea R.A Scotti.....Hurricane Almanac Bryan Norcross.....Divine Wind Kerry Emanuel.....Florida's Hurricane History Jay Barnes.....Stormscaping Pamela Crawford.....Hurricanes and the Middle Atlantic States Rick Scwartz..... Killer Cane Robert Mykle..... Isaac's Storm Erik Larson.....Florida Hurricanes & Tropical Storms John M. Williams & Iver W.Duedall.....Path of destruction John McQuaid & Mark Schleifstein.....Sun sentinel newspaper(microfilm).....Miami Herald newspaper(microfilm).....NOAA research division.....hurricanecity.com (calculations) Jim Williams.....plus many more.............
Notable locations in Key West: DeWitt E Roberts Softball Diamond (A), George Mira Football Field (B), Truval Village Market Place (C), Sunset Plaza (D), Richard A Heyman Wastewater Treatment Plant (E), Key West Country Club (F), Mallory Dock (G), Key Plaza (H), Monroe County Public Library (I), Florida Keys Community College Library (J), Key West Fire Department Central Station (K), Key West Fire Department Station 2 (L), Key West Fire Department Station 3 (M), American Medical Response Key West Rescue (N), Key West International Airport Fire Department (O), Key West Police Department (P), Monroe County Sheriff's Office Property Section (Q), Monroe County Sheriff's Office Civil Division (R), Monroe County Sheriff's Office Headquarters (S), Ernest Hemingway House (T). Display/hide their locations on the map
Churches in Key West include: Church of Christ (A), Church of God (B), Saint Bedes Catholic Church (C), Fifth Street Baptist Church (D), Saint James Missionary Baptist Church (E), Big Coppitt First Baptist Church (F), Key West Baptist Temple (G), Greater Keys Baptist Church (H), Lower Keys Church of Christ (I). Display/hide their locations on the map
Tourist attractions: East
Martello Museum (3501 South Roosevelt Boulevard), Audubon House Gallery
(Museums; 205 Whitehead Street), Amsterdam - Curry Mansion & Inn
(Museums; 511 Caroline Street), Harry S Truman Little White House Museum
(Cultural Attractions- Events- & Facilities; 111 Front Street),
Forrester Nancy Reverend (Cultural Attractions- Events- &
Facilities; 1 Free School Lane), Mel Fisher Maritime Heritage Society
& Museum (Historical Places & Services; 200 Greene Street),
Heritage House Museum & Robert Frost (Cultural Attractions- Events-
& Facilities; 410 Caroline Street), Key West Lighthouse &
Keeper's Quarters Museum (Cultural Attractions- Events- &
Facilities; 938 Whitehead Street), Island City Flying Service Inc
(Historical Places & Services; 3471 South Roosevelt Boulevard).
Hotels: Coconut Bay
(97770 Overseas Highway), Body Tuneup (1435 Simonton Street), Banana Bay
Resort & Marina (2319 North Roosevelt Boulevard), Best Western
Hibiscus Motel (1313 Simonton Street), Atlantic Shores (510 South
Street), CAYO Hueso Resorts (513 United Street), Almond Tree Inn (512
Truman Avenue), AA Accommodation Center Inc (1722 North Roosevelt
Boulevard), Carlson JODY (415 William Street).
Key West is an island at the end of the chain of the Florida Keys. It is
connected to the mainland by US Highway 1 which uses a series of
bridges to link the islands of the chain. This is a popular vacation
destination which gives visitors the feeling of the Caribbean without
having to leave the country.
1. 42 bridges connect Key West to the mainland of Florida.
2. The third largest coral reef in the world is off the coast of Key West. The reef is 160 miles long.
3. All of the sand on the beaches of Key West were shipped in on barges from the Caribbean.
4. Key West is the southernmost city in the United States. The city is closer to Cuba than it is to Miami.
5. Even though Cuba is only 90 miles away, you still can never see it from Key West.
6. The whole island is a bird sanctuary since there are many endangered species there.
7. Happy hour beings at 9AM at the Schooner Warf Bar.
8. Three Civil War forts are located on Key West.
9. Even though Key West is the southernmost point in the United States, it was Yankee territory during the Civil War.
10. There is no cell phone service on the island.
11. Operation Petticoat, The Rose Tattoo, Reap the Wild Wind, PT 109,
Beneath the 12 Mile Reef, License to Kill, and Running Scared are all
movies that were filmed on Key West.
12. The nearest Wal-Mart is 126 miles away.
13. People born in Key West are called Conchs.
14. Key West has not been directly hit by a hurricane since 1919.
15. The temperature in Key West has never dropped below 41 degrees Fahrenheit.
16. There are about 25,000 people that live in Key West.
17. Key West is the only city in the continental United States that never gets frost.
18. The highway that ends in Key West, U.S Highway One, is 2,209 miles long and runs from Fort Kent in Maine.
19. Key West has more bars per capita than any other place in the country.
20. Back in 1889, Key West was the biggest city in Florida.
21. Key West has more churches per capita than any other place in the country.
22. Key West has the most inhabitants of any of the keys. Of the 800 keys, only 30 are inhabited by people.
23. The first international flight left from Key West. In 1927, the
Pan American airlines flew a plane from Key West to Havana Cuba.
24. The highest elevation in Key West is 18 feet above sea level.
25. Most of the 40 cats living at the Hemingway House have six or
seven toes because they are all descendents from Hemingway's cat.
Hopefully these fun facts will get you excited about taking a trip to visit Key West!
Key West is a city in Monroe County, Florida, United States. Key West is part of the Southern Coastlands region of U.S.
Key West is located at 24°33′33″N, 81°47′03″W (24.559166, -81.784031).[17]
The maximum elevation above sea level is about 18 feet (6 m), a one acre area
known as Solares Hill.[18] Key West Island is about 4 miles (6 km) long and 2
miles (3 km) wide; since the late 20th century it has been artificially
expanded to the east. According to the United States Census Bureau, the city
has a total area of 19.2 km² (7.4 mi²). 15.4 km² (5.9 mi²) of it is land and
3.8 km² (1.5 mi²) of it (19.73%) is water. The city encompasses the island of Key West, the part of Stock Island north of U.S 1, (the Overseas Highway) (east), Sigsbee Park (north, originally known as Dredgers Key), Fleming Key (north), and Sunset K (west, originally known as Tank Island). Both Fleming Key and Sigsbee Park are part of Naval Air Station Key West and are inaccessible by civilians. Key West is the county seat of Monroe County. Key West is the southernmost city in the Continental United States. It is also the southern terminus of U.S. 1, State Road A1A, the East GreenWay and, before 1935, the Florida East Coast Railway. degrees) of Miami Florida (about 160 miles (260 km) by car) and 106 miles (171 km) north-northeast (21.2 degrees) of Havana Cuba, at its closest point, is 94 statute miles (151 km) south. Key West is a seaport destination for many passenger cruise ships. It is also a reason the city was chosen as the Winter White House of President Harry S. Truman. The central businesses district primarily comprises Duval Street,
and includes much of the northwest corner of the island along
Whitehead, Simonton, Front, Greene, Caroline, and Eaton Streets and
Truman Avenue. The official city motto is "One Human Family."Key West is 129 miles (208 km) southwest (229.9
Urbanization
Key West, Fleming Key, and Urbanization: The building of
Henry Flagler's East Coast Railway Key West Extension in the early 1900s
profoundly affected the Florida Keys, including Boca Chica Key and Key
West. Parks (1968) eloquently recounted the extent of the dramatic landscape alteration:
Building the Overseas Railway, begun in 1905, put enormous stress
on pristine terrestrial and nearshore environments in the keys. Among
materials imported were food, water, housing and medical supplies for a
work force of 3,000 to 5,000. Construction equipment included three
tugs, 30 gasoline launches, 14 houseboats, eight work boats with
derricks and concrete mixers, three pile drivers on floating machine
shops, six dredges powered by gasoline engines, eight stern-wheel
Mississippi River steamers, and more than 100 barges. A fleet of
ocean-going vessels included tramp ships carrying sand, coal, crushed
rock, high-grade German underwater cement, and millions of meters of
pilings, reinforcing rods, steel girders, railroad track, dressed
timbers, and other materials. Cofferdams and caissons placed in tidal
channels allowed anchoring of viaduct supports to bedrock. Embankments,
tidal creeks, canals, and channels were dammed with marl dredged from
the sea floor, some from as far away as a kilometer, then lined with
riprap. In less than the seven years that it took to complete the
railroad from Miami to Key West, man had radically transformed unspoiled
surroundings of the keys with non-native resources.
Industrialization
Major industries in Key West in the early
19th century included fishing, salt production, and salvage. In 1860 wrecking
made the small town of Key West the largest and most wealthy city in Florida and
the richest town per capita in the United States. A number of the residents
worked salvaging shipwrecks from nearby Florida reefs, and the town was noted
for the unusually high concentration of fine furniture and chandeliers which
the locals used in their own homes after salvaging them from wrecks.Fort Zachary Taylor in Key West, popular
during the Civil War, contains the largest known collection of Civil War
cannons ever discovered at a single location.
More than three million visitors each year come
to the Keys by both air and auto. A great
majority of these tourists come to see or catch
fish and other marine wildlife, contributing up
to $1.2 billion to the economy of the Florida
Keys. These visitors directly support charter
boats for diving, snorkeling, sailing and
fishing, dive shops, bait and tackle shops,
marinas, restaurants, hotels, motels, and camp
grounds, and, indirectly, a multitude of
businesses from gas stations to barber shops.
Commercial fishing is the second largest industry in the
Keys. Some of the most important commercial species are
spiny lobster, stone crab, pink shrimp, mackerel, grouper
and snapper. Collectors of tropical fish and other marine
life also profit from the reef environment. The commercial
fleet supports about 1,200 families, which is close to 5
percent of the Monroe County's population. Stock Island
alone lands 7 million pounds with a dockside value of $24
million — that's 5 percent of Florida's total landings and
13 percent of total value. In 2006, Monroe County was ranked the fifth most valuable
port in the nation, with a dockside value of about $54.4
million. This figure does not include retail sales and
profits made by wholesalers who marketed seafood products
worldwide. It's reasonable to predict that seafood and
related industries earned upwards of $70 million. This does
not take into account the millions of dollars of shrimp
caught off Key West and landed at other ports around the
Gulf of Mexico.